Mobike expands bike-sharing service to Singapore

Shared bikes park at a recommended site in Shijingshan District of Beijing, March 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

SHANGHAI - Mobike on Tuesday launched its bicycle-sharing service in Singapore, its first expansion overseas.

Bikes are mostly placed around the MRT stations and on university campuses. Users download the Mobike app and unlock the bikes by scanning the QR code on the frame.

China's leading bicycle-sharer said the standard rental fee is S$1 per half an hour. To celebrate the launch, it offers a 50 percent temporary discount.

Hu Weiwei, founder and president of the company, said Mobike will bring its bikes to more cities worldwide and make biking a more convenient and cheaper commute.

Florian Bohnert, head of international expansion at Mobike, said the bike-sharing had been welcomed by local residents, business partners and transport authorities during a trial period.

Bohnert said Mobike was happy to work with universities in Singapore to encourage more students and teachers to ride its bikes on campus.

Mobike has secured more than $300 million of investment since January this year, with Singapore's Temasek being the newest investor.

Mobike's CEO Wang Xiaofeng said in February that the company would use the money to explore the global market and duplicate its business model elsewhere.

Mobike and its market rival ofo have revolutionized China's commuting market with their app-based bicycle sharing services.

Mobike has more than 1 million bicycles in 33 cities in China. A total of 400 million rides have been recorded since the company launched its first service in Shanghai 11 months ago.